{"id":6257,"date":"2026-05-28T09:36:55","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T09:36:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stakebridgeirpr.com\/media\/?p=6257"},"modified":"2026-05-28T09:36:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T09:36:55","slug":"dantsoho-advocates-maritime-modernisation-as-africa-expands-regional-port-dominance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stakebridgeirpr.com\/media\/dantsoho-advocates-maritime-modernisation-as-africa-expands-regional-port-dominance\/","title":{"rendered":"Dantsoho Advocates Maritime Modernisation As Africa Expands Regional Port Dominance"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Enam Obiosio<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has warned that Africa risks losing global trade competitiveness without aggressive investment in modern ports, deep sea infrastructure and technology-driven maritime systems.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the close of the recent PMAWCA meetings in Lagos, Dantsoho, who also serves as Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), said that countries across West and Central Africa are accelerating port modernisation programmes to accommodate larger vessels, strengthen trade competitiveness and support economic growth.<\/p>\n

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, \u00a0for providing policy direction supporting ongoing repositioning within Nigeria\u2019s maritime sector.<\/p>\n

According to him, Nigeria is currently refurbishing Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port as medium-term interventions while expanding long-term deep sea port infrastructure capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Singapore, they are building ports with hundreds of berths. Guinea is developing a $20 billion deep sea port project. These are the kinds of investments Africa must begin to pursue if we want to compete globally,\u201d Dantsoho stated.<\/p>\n

DECISION HIGHLIGHT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nigeria and other West and Central African countries are intensifying port infrastructure renewal, automation and deep sea port development to improve maritime competitiveness and cargo handling capacity.<\/p>\n

NPA is also expanding operational automation and logistics efficiency systems as part of broader maritime modernisation efforts.<\/p>\n

DECISION MEMO <\/strong><\/p>\n

Dantsoho\u2019s intervention reflects a broader strategic shift currently unfolding across Africa\u2019s maritime sector.<\/p>\n

For decades, African ports largely operated as conventional cargo gateways constrained by shallow draught limitations, weak intermodal connectivity, congestion and ageing infrastructure. The current push toward deep sea ports, automation and regional integration signals growing recognition that maritime infrastructure is increasingly central to trade competitiveness, industrialisation and economic growth.<\/p>\n

NPA\u2019s ongoing rehabilitation of Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port highlights attempts to stabilise legacy infrastructure while preparing for larger structural transition toward deeper and more technologically advanced port ecosystems.<\/p>\n

Dr. Dantsoho\u2019s emphasis on deeper waters, stronger quays and larger vessel accommodation reflects changing realities within global shipping economics, where larger container vessels increasingly dominate international trade routes.<\/p>\n

Without modern ports capable of handling higher cargo volumes efficiently, African economies risk rising logistics costs, lower trans-shipment competitiveness and reduced attractiveness to global shipping lines.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou cannot make progress with obsolete facilities and still expect to receive newer and larger vessels,\u201d Dantsoho stated.<\/p>\n

The comparison with Singapore and Guinea also reflects increasing pressure on African governments to scale maritime investments beyond incremental rehabilitation toward globally competitive logistics infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Equally significant is the growing role of digitalisation within maritime administration.<\/p>\n

According to Dantsoho, NPA has achieved nearly 90 percent automation across operational processes, including electronic payment and cargo systems.<\/p>\n

He identified the electronic call-up system at Apapa Port as a major operational reform that significantly reduced congestion along the port corridor.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, you can go into Apapa and leave within minutes. Before now, people spent hours and sometimes slept on the bridge because of congestion,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

The automation drive signals a wider institutional transition from manual port administration toward data-driven logistics management integrating artificial intelligence, robotics and digital cargo processing systems.<\/p>\n

Beyond infrastructure, Dantsoho\u2019s remarks also highlight Nigeria\u2019s strategic maritime positioning within West and Central Africa.<\/p>\n

According to him, Nigeria currently accounts for more than 70 percent of cargo traffic within the sub-region because of its population size, consumer market and strategic access for landlocked countries including Niger, Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso.<\/p>\n

That dominance gives Nigeria significant regional trade leverage, but also increases pressure on authorities to sustain capacity expansion and operational efficiency.<\/p>\n

The growing emphasis on peer review, benchmarking and operational collaboration under PMAWCA further suggests increasing regional coordination around maritime competitiveness and logistics integration.<\/p>\n

For African economies seeking stronger participation within global supply chains, port modernisation is increasingly becoming not merely an infrastructure issue, but a strategic economic necessity.<\/p>\n

DATA BOX<\/strong><\/p>\n